[Thomas J Stamp]

one thing that really galls me is people saying our social welfare system is overly generous compaired to, say, the UK.

it isnt, it is higher because our cost of living is higher. i was in belfast on saturday and was as surprised as ever at how low prices for run of the mill things are, and how competitive stores are. this isnt happenign down here. So their Social welfare is lower, thier cost of living is lower. free ESB and telephone isnt the whole thing is free, only a certain amount of units. I am sure that when we hear of pensioners freezing to death again this year nobody will be moaning about it.

There is an argument, which was commonly made during the boom, that because our OAPs worked all their lives during time of pittance wages and terrible living conditions that they have earned and deserve their pension and perks.

As usual in feck you jack i'm all right ireland, that attitude seems to have gone.